


Sunrise

by Reiko_Forrester



Category: Preacher (Comics), Preacher (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Drinking, Drug Use, Gen, Minor Graverobbing, rad bromance, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 16:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9079819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reiko_Forrester/pseuds/Reiko_Forrester
Summary: Just Jesse and Cassidy sitting on the steps, drinking, smoking, and watching the sunrise.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the end of 'Finish The Song.' I just wanted a scene where Jesse and Cassidy were hanging out and being BFFFs after the events of 'He Gone.' 
> 
> This has nothing to do with my other Preacher stories, which are simply irredeemable smut. This might even be my first non-smut story ever, which is weird in itself. Even weirder, there's maybe only one swear word.

It was late when Jesse and Cassidy finished burying Miles and digging up angel hands. Cassidy was starting to look more like himself, but was craving Chinese food. Jesse had offered to get some teriyaki stir fry from Flavour Station, despite being on the lam, while Cassidy cleaned up, and the vampire had gratefully accepted. An hour later, Jesse had brought home the food, a bottle of Ratwater, and a fresh carton of cigarettes - 'Normally, I'd have to take someone to bed after a gesture like this,' Cassidy told him - and now the two men were sitting on the back step, drinking, smoking, and watching the nearly risen sun start peeking over the horizon. They were both comfortably drunk, Cassidy sitting in the shade of the covering, and Jesse leaning against the pillar.

'This reminds me,' Cassidy started, 'of a night about six years ago. I had taken Cialis and an Ambien, just to see what would happen-'

'Do you ever miss it?' Jesse asked the vampire. 'The sunrise?' He gestured broadly at the sky, wondering when he'd lost motor function, and decided it didn't matter.

'That?' Cassidy stared at the beginnings of light in the sky. 'Nah. I was never up that early anyway. Except in the war.' Cassidy took another swallow of the cheap whisky, shaking his head.

'What war?' Jesse slurred, trying to sit up and look at his friend, but managing to hit his head on the post instead.

'Ah, the Easter Rebellion.' Cassidy smiled lazily, his eyes wistful. Jesse perked up, expecting a story. Instead, Cassidy pulled a joint out of his shirt pocket, lighting it and sucking in smoke.

'Well?' Jesse said impatiently.

Exhaling, Cassidy offered the preacher the joint, and he declined. Finally, he said, 'My brother and I fought in the Easter Rebellion. Got to see it end. We won.'

Slack jawed, Jesse asked, 'You have a brother?'

'Did. Might have some great great nieces and nephews, I don't know.' Cassidy took another hit off the joint, staring at the distant sun as he held his breath.

'You ever see 'em?' Jesse pressed.

Cassidy shook his head, blowing smoke toward the roof. 

'I never had a brother. Or sisters.' Jesse swigged from the bottle. 'Just me. Til Tulip came along.'

'Your Tulip?' Cassidy asked, as if he knew more than one.

Jesse grimaced. 'Used to be. Still is. I don't know.' He lit a cigarette. 'I've loved her all my life. Thought we'd be together til the end of the world.' Maybe it was his own regret coloring his outlook, but Cassidy looked nearly as heartbroken as Jesse felt. 'She got taken by foster care when we were kids. Then my dad got killed...' Jesse stared at his feet, trying to keep from being the sad drunk tonight. Or rather, this morning. 

'But how did you come back here?' Cassidy asked, sensing his friend's anguish, and Jesse's heart swelled with emotion for the man. 'After you'd gone for so long?'

Shaking his head, Jesse chuckled as he remembered. 'It was last October. I came back, set up, and thought I'd welcome the families by holding a trick or treat at the church. I'd hand out candy, shake some hands, whatever. Got to be around 9 at night, I'd only had about twelve kids come up. Til I got about four at once, all dressed up like zombies, ten years old maybe . I mentioned something about the dead rising at Judgment Day, wound up giving them the Cliffs Notes version of Revelation, and they left in a hurry. No more kids showed up. Found out the next Sunday that those kids had warned the others away cos I was a creep.' Jesse laughed as he finished the story, and Cassidy was laughing too.

'You're probably the sort to hand out those Bible comics, aren't ya? And toothbrushes,' Cassidy joked, and Jesse choked on his whiskey as he snickered. 

'Wait, you're a vampire who doesn't like Halloween?' Jesse remarked.

'Halloween is bollocks,' Cassidy said. 'Only good for girls in scanty costumes and those Elvira beer commercials.' He was trying to hold on to the little bit of joint left, instead burning his fingers as he tried to light it. Jesse watched, fascinated, as the skin of his fingertips began to blister. He finally tossed the small paper that was left, and told Jesse, 'Best Halloween I ever had was in 1938. Watching everyone panic over that radio broadcast... Hilarious,' Cassidy said, lighting a cigarette. 'I was working as a dishwasher at a lodge in Rochester - had the first electric dishwashing machine in the city. I had to operate it, load it, all that shite, and I remember my boss running in and telling me the world was ending. So I decided I'd go outside and watch it all burn down, because why not?' Cassidy grinned. 'I grabbed the thirteen best bottles from the bar and went and sat on the fire escape, drank all of them, woke up the next morning, smoldering, my boss screaming at me from the street below. I was gonna climb down and eat him, but instead I threw up all over him. Which worked out even better, cos I was banned from the place for life.'

Jesse blinked, astonished. 'Man, you are like better than the History Channel,' he said finally. Cassidy smiled proudly. The sun was growing ever higher in the sky, and Jesse stood, unsteadily, and told his friend, 'I'm gonna go turn in for a little bit. Got a lot of work ahead of us if we're gonna call God down from Heaven.' He kicked the empty bottle of Ratwater off the step, heard it rattle against the dirt, and smiled at Cassidy. 'Thanks for being my friend,' he told him, hoping he wasn't going maudlin.

Cassidy smiled back, looking very touched. 'No. Thanks for being mine.' He stood up, opening the door for the preacher. Jesse stumbled inside, stripping as he climbed to his bed, making sure to lay on his side as he settled against the pillows. For the first time in ages, he felt like he was in control of his life. Once he slept this off, it was gonna be a good day.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one sitting, and it probably shows.


End file.
